


The Ghosts Between Us

by Jicklet



Series: The Royal Disaster [3]
Category: The Royal Romance (Visual Novel)
Genre: Bertrand really found out about his brother and MC right as they announced their engagement huh?, F/M, Gen, yelling ensues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-15
Updated: 2019-05-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 15:59:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18831916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jicklet/pseuds/Jicklet
Summary: After Bertrand finds out about Maxwell and Riley, the brothers have... a conversation.





	The Ghosts Between Us

**Author's Note:**

> _"You've been pretty tight-lipped about what you think about me and Maxwell..."_  
>  _"Well, I'm not exactly proud of how I reacted when I first learned of your relationship."_  
>  -Riley and Bertrand, Book 3 Chapter 18.

Bertrand hadn't spoken a word, or indeed even looked his way since they left the cabin.

The quiet was unnerving, but Maxwell was more afraid of what would happen when it stopped.

By the time the door closed behind them in their room at the palace, the silence felt lethal.

“So, um--”

 _“Explain yourself,”_ Bertrand hissed.

Maxwell reflexively took a step back. “I understand that you’re mad…”

“I have been trying _so hard_ to be understanding of her choice, to control my disappointment, my anger, and now I find out it's because of _you?!”_

Maxwell cringed, holding up his hands defensively. “Bertrand, I--”

“How long has this been going on? Right under my _damned_ nose?”

“Well,” he hesitated. _“Technically_ since last night.”

Bertrand scoffed loudly. _"Technically?”_ He waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t give me that horse shit. Did she turn him down for you or not?”

Maxwell stared at the floor, voice a shameful whisper. _“Yes.”_

Bertrand shook his head, lip curling. “I should have known.” He began pacing furiously. “For the first time in our lives, you finally-- I _thought!_ \-- did something worthwhile for this house, instead of just messing about like always, but no. You bring her here, get all our hopes up, and then _seduce her_ away from Liam--”

 _“Bertrand!”_ Maxwell interjected, on the verge of tears. “It wasn't like that!” He tried to step into Bertrand’s line of sight, but his brother turned away. “Please, god, you know I'd never do that! I brought her here for Liam, honestly, and I thought she could help us, and she did!” Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair. “But it didn’t turn out like I thought at all… it just... It just _happened.”_

“Of course it did.” Bertrand rolled his eyes, unimpressed. “Like everything else, you just stumble into it without thinking through the consequences. What the _hell_ could you have been thinking?!”

Maxwell's voice was quiet. “I love her, Bertrand.”

This profound truth only drew a snort. “Oh, you _love_ her.”

Anger flared in Maxwell’s chest. “And somehow,” his voice began growing unsteadily. _“Unbelievably,”_ his voice broke. “She loves me too.”

“Well, what's that worth?” Bertrand spat.

Maxwell spine straightened. “A lot, actually.”

Bertrand _tsked_ dismissively.

Something shifted in Maxwell then. Bertrand’s disappointment was not at all a new thing, but something else was. For once, Maxwell was sure that he was right. For once, instead of feeling ashamed or defensive, he just felt… disappointed. Disappointed in Bertrand, disappointed in the stranger that had once been his brother.

Maxwell looked at Bertrand like he was seeing him for the first time. “Bertrand I…” Maxwell shook his head. “I knew you'd be angry, but I had hoped... maybe eventually, that you could be happy for me. For us.”

 _“Happy?”_ Bertrand yelled, spinning on him. _“Happy_ that you've ruined everything that I've built? Happy that you’ve thrown our name into the dirt? _How could I be happy?!”_

 _“Because she makes me love myself!”_ Maxwell shouted back. “She doesn't look at me and see a screw up. When I'm with her, I can see the person I could be, the person I _want_ to be.”

He was pacing now, agitated. “But I _would_ have let that go! I never _ever_ thought she would see me that way, but when she said she did, and that she didn't want to live a lie anymore, well-” he stopped pacing, hands falling from the mess they’d turned his hair into. “How could I be the one to try to make her?”

Bertrand was simply shaking his head, staring at the wall. But he wasn’t yelling anymore. Maxwell took that as a good sign.

He continued, his voice softening. “When I’m with her… I feel like I _finally_ know where I’m supposed to be.” Bertrand wasn’t moving. Tentatively, he took a step forward. “Isn’t that… how you feel with Savannah?”

His brother’s eyes went wide. _Direct hit._

“When Riley told me she wanted to be with me, when she kissed me, I was so happy. And I,” he bit his lip. “I wish that I could share things like this with you, Bertrand. Instead of hiding it from you. What happened to us?

Bertrand looked very tired. “I grew up.”

Maxwell’s stomach sank. _And I didn’t._ The implication was clear. He stared at his brother. The feet between them felt like miles.

“Maxwell, I…” Bertrand no longer looked furious. Now he just looked… weary. “I need some time to think, if you would.” He turned his back.

Maxwell quietly left the room.


End file.
